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Colin McGinn

Colin McGinn Biography

Philosopher

Colin McGinn is a renowned British philosopher known for his contributions to the philosophy of consciousness, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of language. His research delves into the nature of consciousness, self, language, and mind, having a profound impact on contemporary philosophy.

Colin McGinn is a renowned British philosopher known for his contributions to the philosophy of consciousness, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of language. His research delves into the nature of consciousness, self, language, and mind, having a profound impact on contemporary philosophy.

Related Quotes

“The head spins in theoretical disarray; no explanatory model suggests itself; bizarre ontologies loom. There is a feeling of intense confusion, but no clear idea about where the confusion lies.”

Hard Problem Of Consciousness Explanatory Gap

Author:Colin McGinn

“Faith is believing things by definition, which are not justified by reason. If it were justified by reason, it wouldn't be faith. It would just be ordinary belief. It's something you can't prove. That's what faith is, believing something you can't prove.”

Ifs Believe Reason Belief Prove Ordinary Definitions Justified

Author:Colin McGinn

“Tolerating somebody else's beliefs is not failing to criticize them. It's not persecuting them for having those beliefs. That is absolutely important. You should not persecute people for their beliefs. It doesn't mean you can't criticize their beliefs.”

People Should Mean Important Belief Failing Criticize

Author:Colin McGinn

“It is an odd fact of evolution that we are the only species on Earth capable of creating science and philosophy. There easily could have been another species with some scientific talent, say that of the average human ten-year-old, but not as much as adult humans have; or one that is better than us at physics but worse at biology; or one that is better than us at everything. If there were such creatures all around us, I think we would be more willing to concede that human scientific intelligence might be limited in certain respects.”

“Our general repression of matters disgusting prevents us facing up to a serious health problem. If we are the 'god that shits,' then we are in full flight from ourselves. I even wonder whether religion itself and the whole idea of a god is produced by our self-disgust.”

Ifs Ideas Self Matter Whole Problem Wonder Serious Flight Disgusting Repression Health Problems

Author:Colin McGinn

“Brains cause technology, society, art, science, soap operas, sin. A remarkable set of effects for such a small chunk of coagulated atoms.”

Art Causes Sin Brain Technology Effects Remarkable Atoms Opera Soap Chunks Soap Operas

Author:Colin McGinn

“To me the ultimate sin was refusing to listen to reason.”

Reason Sin Ultimate

Author:Colin McGinn

“Our treatment of animals, in every department, is deeply and systematically immoral. Becoming a vegetarian is only the most minimal ethical response to the magnitude of the evil.”

Evil Animal Becoming Response Department Treatment Ethical Vegetarian Immoral Magnitude Treatment Of Animals

Book:Minds and Bodies: Philosophers and Their Ideas

Source: Minds and Bodies: Philosophers and Their Ideas

“Bernard Williams has been a distinctive presence on the intellectual scene for more than three decades. . . . His writings do not offer the dubious exhilaration of grand philosophical theory, in which messy reality is tamed and caged, but the thrill of seeing pretension punctured by a kind of high-voltage common sense (backed up by impressive erudition). . . . There is no one in philosophy quite like him.”

“Once you were just insentient cells, no more aware of anything than your liver is now. Today you are brimming with consciousness. How did you make the grade? What catapulted you into consciousness? There must be some kind of natural process behind this astonishing leap, but this process is obscure.”

Kind Today Process Natural Behinds Consciousness Cells Grades Leap Obscure Astonishing Liver

Author:Colin McGinn

About the Author

Born: March 10, 1950
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 10

Related Topics

Ifs Belief Has Beens Kind Philosophy Reason Sin Adults Animal Art

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Minds and Bodies: Philosophers and Their IdeasRelated source material

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